The Denver Broncos made a pretty unpopular move among the fan base by re-signing veteran tight end Adam Trautman, and it's clear that Trautman doesn't agree with the outside perception of him as a player.
Trautman signed a three-year deal with the Broncos worth a hefty $17 million in total money, with the possibility to reach up to $18.5 million in maximum earnings. After he was signed, Trautman spoke with Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette, making some bold and very pointed statements about how people perceive his game.
Trautman (understandably) believes very strongly in his abilities as an all-around tight end.
Adam Trautman sends clear message to detractors after re-signing with Broncos
#Broncos TE Adam Trautman: "I am an all-around (tight end) and the contract shows it. I'm one of the best blockers in the entire league regardless of what PFF (Pro Football Focus) thinks. I don't care what they say and no other player does either. I am an all-around (TE)."
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) March 9, 2026
Trautman's statement here is a bold one, because statistics and yearly involvement in the passing game speak directly against him being an "all-around" tight end.
But there are also moments where you see what Trautman can do as a receiver, and you wonder why he's not getting more looks in the passing game. He's made some ridiculous catches for the Broncos over the past couple of seasons, and has even had some decent runs after the catch.
Sean Payton's comments late in the year about Trautman not likely reaching an incentive on receptions is pretty telling of the perception of him, even internally:
"For ‘Traut’, obviously, he would’ve never told us that. Nobody would’ve ever known if [Head] Coach [Sean Payton] hadn’t made it a big deal. But that’s just the kind of teammate he is. For me, it’s just understanding that. I’m going to try my best if it presents itself to get him those (five) touches. We make jokes about that being his year total, but I can see him going for five catches easily."
- Sean Payton (via Broncos PR)
When Payton is making jokes about a player who views himself as an all-around tight end getting five catches in a season, the joke really starts to land flat after you invest $17 million on a three-year contract in that player. The bottom line is that if the Broncos have decided to ultimately sacrifice other options and possible upgrades at the position for someone they don't view internally as much of a threat in the passing game, that's unacceptable from a roster-building standpoint.
We'll see in time whether or not this was the right move, or if the Broncos are truly only making this the big move at tight end, but Trautman's confidence in his own abilities is certainly noteworthy, and he hears the outside noise.